Axios Denver
September 26, 2024
1 big thing: Overdose deaths fall nationwide — but rise in Colorado
The number of people dying from drug overdoses in Colorado is grimly outpacing the national rate, according to preliminary CDC data.
The big picture: The rate grew by 4% in Colorado during that span, one of seven Western states that's not following the national trend.
Fatal drug overdoses continue to decline nationally after falling last year for the first time since before the pandemic, with CDC data showing a 10% decline between April 2023 and April 2024.
- CDC data looks at rolling totals over 12-month periods.
Why it matters: The data suggests measures like providing clean needles aren't sufficiently managing what Colorado harm-reduction advocates call an unregulated drug supply.
Zoom in: State data shows Denver accounts for nearly a fifth of all drug-related deaths in Colorado between 2020 and 2022.
Between the lines: Opioids are taking a devastating toll, with 598 people in Denver dying from overdoses linked to the substance last year — a 22% spike from 2022.
Zoom out: Nationwide, public health experts are stunned by how dramatically deaths are falling, NPR reports.
- "This is going to be the best year we've had since all of this started," Keith Humphreys, a drug policy researcher at Stanford, told NPR.
Between the lines: We need more data and more research to determine what's driving the decline in deaths, but experts have theories.
- Naloxone is more widely available, and more drug users carry the medication with them for safety.
- Many of the pandemic-era circumstances — like social isolation, increased stress and people using drugs alone — are no longer factors.
2. How long Denver houses are staying on the market
For-sale signs on Denver homes are lingering longer than usual this year, according to fresh Redfin data provided to Axios.
Why it matters: It's yet another sign that the city's once white-hot housing market is balancing out and favoring buyers over sellers.
By the numbers: Between 2012 and 2023, Denver homes have typically sat on the market for around 19 days in September, Redfin data shows.
- January holds the record for longest average days on market (33), while May is the speediest at just 10 days.
The big picture: The first week of October has historically been a good time to buy a house in the U.S., per a new Realtor.com report.
- After reaching a peak in spring and summer, demand slows — but inventory levels haven't yet hit the holiday slump, creating opportunities for buyers.
What we're hearing: By fall, sellers are desperate to close before the holidays, which opens the door for better deals, Denver-area agent Kelly Moye tells Axios.
- In August, 1 in 5 for-sale homes in the U.S. saw a price cut, per Redfin data.
Yes, but: Mortgage rates are once again a wild card. Experts predict lower rates could bring buyers off the sidelines, possibly driving higher home prices if inventory doesn't improve.
- The Federal Reserve cut interest rates this month by a half-percentage point, but the impact on longer-term rates, particularly for home mortgages, remains ambiguous.
3. Mile Highlights: Bike park rejected
4. 🤠 Urban Cowboy debuts in Capitol Hill
Denver has a new watering hole — and a hip hotel to match is on the way.
The latest: This month, Urban Cowboy Hotels — known for their bold blend of rustic chic and modern luxury — opened the Urban Cowboy Public House in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
- The eclectic, saloon-inspired spot is located in a converted carriage house that's part of the historic, 1880s-era George Schleier Mansion, where the new boutique hotel will open.
The vibe: The restaurant and bar offer a charming spin on the Wild West, a "vibrant nod to the historic 1880s saloons that once graced every corner of Downtown Denver," hotel chain co-founder Lyon Porter said in a statement.
- On the menu are hand-crafted cocktails, upscale bar bites, plus wood-fired New York-style pizza and housemade pasta from Brooklyn-based Roberta's Pizza.
Why it matters: It's the latest adaptive reuse project breathing new life into Denver's historic gems.
- Just last month, the Secret Garden opened in the Tears-McFarlane House, a National Historic Landmark.
What's next: The hotel is set to welcome guests in late October, staff tell us.
Axios Denver
